Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an American professional football executive and former running back. He is currently serving as a coaching intern for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning first-team All-American honors and becoming the school's all-time leading rusher. Sproles was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He also played for the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Sproles was named as a kick returner on the Chargers 50th Anniversary Team. He joined the New Orleans Saints in free agency before the 2011 season. He holds the NFL record for most single-season all-purpose yardage, with 2,696 yards in 2011. During that season, he set career highs with 603 yards rushing (6.9 yards per carry) and 710 yards receiving and a combined total of nine touchdowns. Sproles is the only player in NFL history with 2,200+ all-purpose yards in four different seasons, accomplished in four consecutive years (2008–2011). He shares the record for most receptions in a playoff game with 15. He is ranked 6th in career all-purpose yards in NFL history (19,696 yards).
Early life Born in Waterloo, Iowa. Sproles attended Olathe North High School in Olathe, Kansas. He has been conquering a speech impediment he has had since childhood. Sproles was a star in football, earning the name "Tank", after having been born at . For two consecutive years, he was an All-Sunflower League honoree, All-Metro honoree, and an All-State selection. Additionally, he was twice named The Kansas City Star Player of the Year. As a senior, he was named the Kansas Hall of Fame Player of the Year and the USA Today Kansas Player of the Year. Throughout his high school career, Sproles rushed for 5,230 yards, averaging nearly 8.4 yards per carry and 79 touchdowns.
Sproles was a high school All-American as selected by Student Sports Magazine. He was also the winner of Simone Trophy, given to the top big-class football player in Kansas City metro area. In 1999, he rushed for 2,031 yards in nine games as a junior. In 2000, during his senior year, Sproles rushed for 2,485 yards, scoring 49 touchdowns. He led his Olathe North Eagles to a 12–0 record and their fourth Kansas 6A state title in five years.
Track and field In addition to football, Sproles was a track star at Olathe North. He finished 2nd in the state in the 200 meters as a junior, with a time of 21.6 seconds. He also placed 4th at Class 6A States in 100 meters, with a time of 10.93 seconds, and 3rd in the 200 meters, with a time of 22.04 seconds.
Sproles has achieved personal bests of 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.6 seconds in the 200 meters.
College career Sproles played college football at Kansas State University from 2001 to 2004, starting all games in his last two seasons and setting 23 school records. In the 2001 season, he made his collegiate debut against New Mexico State and had four carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 28 carries for 210 rushing yards and one touchdown in six games.
In the 2002 season, Sproles's role in the offense expanded. In the season opener against Western Kentucky, he had 135 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. On October 5, in the game at Colorado, he had 121 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. On November 2, against Kansas, he had 110 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He followed that up with 103 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Iowa State. In the next game, against Nebraska, he had 159 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Overall, in the 2002 season, he finished with 1,465 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
In the 2003 season, Sproles continued to produce greatly for the Wildcats. In the season opener against California, he had 175 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. On September 13, against Massachusetts, he had 152 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to help get the Wildcats to a 4–0 start. On November 8, in a game at Iowa State, he had 201 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. On November 22, against Missouri, he had 43 carries for 273 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the Big 12 Conference championship in 2003, a 35–7 win over #1 ranked Oklahoma, he had 235 rushing yards and 88 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. Overall, he finished the 2003 season with 16 rushing touchdowns and an NCAA-leading 1,986 rushing yards. That same year, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He graduated with a degree in speech pathology. He led all FBS teams in rushing yards in 2003 with 1,986.
Sproles started the 2004 season off strong with 42 carries for 221 yards and a touchdown in a victory over Western Kentucky. On September 18, against Louisiana–Lafayette, he had 292 rushing yards and a touchdown. On October 23, against Nebraska, he had 135 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On November 6, against Missouri, he had 160 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the final game of his collegiate career, against Iowa State, he had 167 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Overall, he finished the 2004 season with 1,318 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sproles finished 11th on the all-time college rushing yards list, with the 6th most all-purpose yards in NCAA history.
Sproles was inducted to the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame, leading the class of 2021.
Professional career
San Diego Chargers
2005/2006 seasons Sproles was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft with the 130th overall pick.
Sproles spent the 2005 season as the third string running back, behind LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, returning kicks and punts. He then spent the entire 2006 season on injured reserve list after breaking his ankle during the preseason.
2007 season
On November 11, 2007, in the Chargers' 23–21 upset over the Indianapolis Colts, Sproles made history by returning a kickoff and a punt for his first two NFL touchdowns—the first player in league history ever to do so. He returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for the game's first score. After Nate Kaeding's field goal increased the Chargers' lead to 10–0, Sproles returned a Hunter Smith punt 46 yards for another touchdown for a 16–0 lead. Sproles became the first player to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game since Dante Hall did so in 2003.
On December 16, 2007, Sproles ran one yard for his first career rushing touchdown against the Detroit Lions. This was followed by an 11-yard run for his second rushing touchdown, capping off his first career 100+ yard rushing game. Overall, he finished the 2007 regular season with 164 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 10 receptions for 31 yards. On special teams, he had 37 kick returns for 1,008 net yards and a touchdown to go along with 24 punt returns for 229 net yards and a touchdown. The Chargers made the playoffs in 2007. In the Divisional Round against the Indianapolis Colts, he had a 56-yard receiving touchdown in the 28–24 victory. He had 34 rushing yards in the AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots in the next round.
2008 season On September 14, 2008, Sproles became just the second player in NFL history with 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and 100 return yards in one game (the other being Gale Sayers with the Chicago Bears). His statistics for the game included: 53 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards, and 192 return yards. Sproles logged 317 all-purpose yards in a 39–38 loss to the Denver Broncos. He also had a 103-yard touchdown return. On December 4, he had three receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns in a 34–7 victory over the Oakland Raiders. In the regular season finale, in the second divisional game against the Denver Broncos, he had 115 rushing yards and his lone rushing touchdown of the regular season. Overall, he finished the 2008 season with 330 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 29 receptions for 342 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he had 53 kick returns for 1,376 net yards and a touchdown to go along with 22 punt returns for 249 net yards.
On January 3, 2009, during an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sproles ran for two touchdowns in place of the injured LaDainian Tomlinson, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime to beat the Colts 23–17. With 105 yards rushing, 45 yards receiving and 178 return yards, Sproles finished the game with 328 all-purpose yards in the Chargers victory over the Colts, the third most all-purpose yards by a player in a single NFL post-season game in NFL history. He was named the NBC Sunday Night Football "Horse Trailer Player of the Game" for the second consecutive week. The week following however, Sproles was stopped by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He managed only 15 yards on 11 carries, but did have 5 receptions for 91 yards including a 62-yard touchdown.
2009 season On February 18, 2009, the Chargers placed their franchise tag on Sproles. He signed the tender on April 28, 2009, which was worth $6.621 million. In Week 2, against the Baltimore Ravens, he had seven receptions for 124 yards in the 31–26 loss. On October 19, he had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 34–23 loss to the Denver Broncos. On Christmas Day, he had 38 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 42–17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Overall, in the 2009 regular season, he finished with 343 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 45 receptions, 497 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he had 54 kick returns for 1,300 net yards and 26 punt returns for 183 net yards and a touchdown.
2010 season On March 4, 2010, it was reported that the Chargers would tender Sproles a contract, which was worth approximately $7.3 million. Another team would have had to give the Chargers first- and third-round draft picks if they signed Sproles. He appeared in all 16 games and recorded 59 receptions for 520 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 50 carries for 267 rushing yards. On special teams, he had 51 kick returns for 1,257 net yards and 24 punt returns for 166 net yards.
New Orleans Saints
2011 season On July 29, 2011, Sproles signed a four-year contract worth $14 million with the New Orleans Saints. The contract included $6 million in guaranteed money.
On September 8, 2011, during a game against the Green Bay Packers, Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter, and returned a second punt for 20 yards; he also had 2 kick-off returns for 83 yards, including a 57-yard return. That gave Sproles 175 yards of returning on special teams, and on offense, he had seven receptions for 75 yards, along with just two carries for seven yards, totaling 257 all-purpose yards.
On September 25, 2011, during a game against the Houston Texans, Sproles had 193 all-purpose yards (108 special teams yards and 85 offensive yards), with six receptions for 50 yards, two carries for 35 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run, and on special teams, had four kick-off returns for 103 yards.
On October 23, 2011, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts, Darren Sproles had 190 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns. On special teams, he had six returns for 83 yards. On offense, he had 12 carries for 88 yards with a 16-yard touchdown run, and six receptions for 19 yards with a six-yard touchdown pass. During this game, Sproles broke over 1,000 all-purpose yards mark.